Dr. Ramzan UCTU, an Associate Professor at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, has collaborated with international researchers in launching a comprehensive book titled “Innovation Ecosystems: Definitions, Actors, and Applications” in May 2025 to examine innovation ecosystems across South Africa, Europe, and Turkey, revealing how strategic collaboration drives economic growth and addresses challenges like poverty and unemployment. As the chief editor and co-author, he and his fellow collaborators’ research demonstrates that innovation emerges from dynamic networks where entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, policymakers, and support organizations work together to transform creative ideas into commercially viable products with significant societal impact. 
 

Drawing from over 10 years of expertise at AUIS's Business Administration Department, Dr. Uctu specializes in innovation systems, biotechnology development, university-industry partnerships, and technology transfer. His Ph.D. research on South Africa's Western Cape biotechnology sector earned him recognition as one of the country's best doctoral students in 2013. The comparative study shows that while each region develops unique approaches—Europe excels in research-industry partnerships, Turkey focuses on technology parks, and South Africa advances biotechnology commercialization—successful ecosystems share common principles of stakeholder collaboration, accessible funding, supportive policies, and efficient knowledge transfer. Dr. Uctu's extensive publication record and role as peer reviewer for international journals, combined with his work as external examiner at UKH Business School, positions him as a leading expert whose research provides actionable strategies for building sustainable innovation ecosystems that create jobs, diversify economies, and generate solutions to global challenges.